Wheel bearing assemblies, in particular for commercial vehicles, usually include two axially adjacent rolling-element bearings, each including a bearing outer ring and each including a bearing inner ring, between which rolling elements are disposed. During installation into the wheel bearing the bearing inner rings including the roller set and the bearing outer rings are separately assembled and lubricated. In order to provide a simplified installation with such a wheel bearing assembly it is also known to provide the rolling-element bearings as preassembled bearing units. However, it is problematic here that the bearing rings must be secured during transport in order to prevent the respective bearing ring from sipping out of the rolling-element bearing or generally to prevent the rolling-element bearing from falling apart.
It is known from the prior art, for example, to provide a retaining element that secures the bearing rings of the preassembled bearing unit during transport. However, it is disadvantageous here that prior to the installation of the rolling-element bearing unit into the wheel bearing the retaining element must be removed again, with the result that production times and manufacturing costs increase.
In addition, the retaining element cannot safeguard against a dirt ingress, with the result that dirt can enter into the rolling-element bearing during transport or installation. It is also problematic that even with such preassembled bearings a greasing of the bearing must occur during installation, since although the retaining elements hold the bearing rings in their predetermined positions, they do not ensure that lubricant remains in the bearing. It is thus possible for the bearing to be lubricated with an “incorrect” lubricant during installation, which reduces the service life of the bearing.